Mindfulness and Tea

Various health benefits of mindfully serving or drinking tea.

The Bliss Wisdom Buddhist Foundation did a study that showed statistically significant evidence that intent – enhanced tea improves mood and well-being. Questionnaires noted effects on vigor, fatigue, anger, tension, depression, self-esteem, and confusion. The conclusion has important implications for practitioners of any conscious, mindful tea service, including Chinese Gong Fu Cha and Japanese Chanoyu. Tea treated with good intentions improved mood more than ordinary tea derived from the same source. The belief that one was drinking treated tea produced a large improvement in mood, but only if one was actually drinking the treated tea, indicating that belief and intentional enhancement interact. This also suggests that the esthetic and intentional qualities associated with the traditional tea ceremony may have subtle influences that extend beyond the ritual itself.

When I prepare tea, I check in with myself first to see what I need. This may result in me selecting a fun dessert tea or a functional tea. At night I almost always have a herbal blend with chamomile to support restful sleep. On a monthly basis, I may do a detox tea to encourage clearing my system. I almost always have a tea light candle and teapot and enjoy several small warm cups at a time. I prefer to drink my tea slowly so the tea light helps to keep the tea warm. When I drink pu erh tea it’s full bodied like a merlot, so I enjoy savoring every sip. It feels like I am transported back centuries as I enjoy the aged fermented essence of the elixir.